Jharia coal fires: uncontrolled underground fires and greenhouse-gas emissions in India

Direct fact

In May 2026, a science report on the Jharia coalfield in Jharkhand said uncontrolled coal fires can emit more greenhouse gases than earlier estimates suggested, and such fugitive emissions are rarely included in global audits.

Key specifics

• The report focused on the Jharia coalfield in Jharkhand, a major coal-fire zone in India.
• It noted that fugitive emissions from uncontrolled coal fires are rarely counted in global greenhouse-gas audits.
• The study warned that Jharia fires may burn hotter than previously thought, affecting emission estimates.
• The issue is linked to greenhouse gases, a core climate-change topic for TNPSC science and environment.
• The article contrasts industrial emissions monitoring with uncontrolled coal-fire emissions, highlighting a gap in climate accounting.

Exam lens

Question type: Science-environment linkage, coalfield location, greenhouse-gas accounting. Key facts: May 2026, Jharia coalfield, Jharkhand, fugitive emissions, global audits. TNPSC one-liner: “Which Indian coalfield was highlighted for uncontrolled fires and underestimated emissions?”